Premonition (Japanese)

Director: Norio Tsuruta

Rated: R

Lions Gate: July 5, 2005

95 Minutes

From Amazon: They are used to tell the past, but for a few unlucky individuals, they foretell the future. When Hideki picks up a newspaper he knows what he will see...death. Foretelling ill-omened fate of everything from slayings to train crashes, there is nothing Hideki can do to stop the event... or is there? When the paper predicts the demise of his daughter in a car crash, Hideki seeks out other like himself, searching for a way to change the future.

For those of you who have seen the American version of 'Premonition' with Sandra Bullock, please don't use that as a basis for whether or not you watch the Japanese version. While I thought that the American Premonition was (at best) an OK movie, the Japanese version is far superior. It is also scary in a mild sense and what I would deem a horror movie despite the crappy American remake!

'Premonition' is about this family whose lives are torn apart because the father finds a newspaper that says his daughter died yet she is sitting in the car across from him. He starts to get all sorts of premonitions about different people and tragedies and soon becomes obsessed with trying to save these people. Eventually he gets to attempt another shot at his own premonition that killed his daughter years before. I think the American version only took that part of the Japanese movie and made a whole movie about it.

'Premonition' isn't a scary movie...I think there are actually only a few parts that might make you jump the first time you watch it; however, it is a great movie with a consistent plot and a few scares along the way. I think what makes Premonition a scary movie is the psychological side of it. What would it really be like to know all these people were going to die and there was nothing you could do? Or, if you could do something you'd eventually kill yourself in the process! It's allll psychological! Anyways, it's a good movie so if you're into foreign movies then check it out! It's actually really cheap on Amazon (that's where I got mine!) or I'm sure you could pick it up at your local video story. You should definitely check it out!

My Rating: 4/5
Ginger

The Devil Inside

Director: William Brent Bell

Rated: R

Paramount: May 15, 2012

83 Minutes

From Amazon: In 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi confessing to three brutal murders. The courts found her insane - but something else found her first. Twenty years later, her daughter Isabella’s search for answers led to an exorcism by two rogue priests revealing that her mother is possessed by four powerful demons. Now, Isabella must face pure evil or forsake her soul. Discover why The Devil Inside is the movie critics call “riveting” and “terrifying.”*

I know that my fellow gory Chick Nyx already wrote a review for 'The Devil Inside' but I just got around to watching it even though it's been sitting in my house since the DVD release date. I'm a little behind on movies! I actually didn't think that this movie was as bad as everyone makes it sound. Whether or not that was because my expectations were so low for the film or not, I can't say. If "found video" movies aren't your type of thing then you might just want to skip this one and the review. If it's something you're open to then keep reading!

Normally I would go into my normal "So, like...this movie is about....stuff" but Nyx already did that in her review (which you can find here). So, I'm just going to skip that whole part!

I watched this movie about a week ago and I was fairly impressed. I honestly think that a big part of the reason I found this movie enjoyable is because so many people hated it AND I heard so many negative things about it. While it's not particularly scary or have a lot of frightening moments it is pretty entertaining at the least. I think it's just the type of movie you have to be in the mood to watch and be interested in. Don't go into it thinking it's like Paranormal Activity and you might actually find that you like it!

My Rating: 4/5
Ginger

The Reaping

Director: Stephen Hopkins

Rated: R

Warner Home Video: October 16, 2007

99 Minutes

From Amazon: Investigative scholar Katherine Winter (Hilary Swank) is a debunker of modern miracles, bringing scientific light to superstition and fraud. But events in tiny Haven, Louisiana, defy even her expertise. There, the 10 Biblical Plagues seem to be reoccurring. And the more she seeks answers, the more she questions her own beliefs. Two-time Academy Award (R) winner Swank headlines this electrifying Dark Castle Entertainment production that reaps locusts, frogs, a river of blood and more - all to eye-filling, fear-inducing, heart-probing, must-see effect.

I think I've mentioned before that the Blockbuster by my house was closing. Well, I went on a crazy DVD/Blu-ray shopping spree and The Reaping was one of the movies I bought. It was only 49 cents! haha. Anyways, I thought it was a pretty good movie although I hadn't really heard of it before this point.

So, the movie is basically about this women who umm goes on these expeditions to disprove miracles that people believe are from God. When she returns from one of her "miracles" she gets a visitor who pleads for her help and this woman....I can't remember her name right now but she's played by Hillary Swank....she agrees to investigate it. It wasn't the river turned into blood that intrigued her but the fact that it was caused by a twelve year old girl.

Considering the synopsis for this movie I think it was really well played out. I guess from someone who is an atheist or...not religious, whatever, they might think it's a little heavy on the religious side. That's just something I've heard floating around about it; however, I'd have to disagree. I think it integrated religious aspects very well into the movie with neither side being too distraught. If you haven't seen The Reaping yet I recommend it but you aren't really missing out on anything if you don't.

My Rating: 3/5
Ginger

28 Weeks Later

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo 


Rated: R  100minutes


Fox Atomic/DNA Films (11 May 2007)

From IMDb: Six months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes to plan.

I have to admit, that zombie movies have never been my favourite. I can't explain it. I think my first exposure to zombies was watching Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' when I was a kid. Since then, I've been asked many times "have you seen that Zombie move?" and I always answer "no". 

While surfing the satellite one night for something to watch, I stumbled across this movie. I read the guide's description of the movie and figured, hmm, why not check it out. I have to say, within the first 15 minutes I was hooked. It was one of those movies, that you just couldn't turn away, you had to keep watching to see what happened.

The jist of the movie, as the description says was how a quarantined city tries to survive this virus. Easily spread, by just spitting on people, the people soon start turning into zombies. A father and his kids are reunited, while their father holds a terrible secret about what happened to their mother. 

I found the movie quick paced, fill with action. There were not many parts, where you are sitting and watching and thinking hurry up already,something happen. I thought the special effects, makeup effects quite good as well. 

I'm sure, all the zombie enthusiasts out there, would have a better movie than this to recommend to someone just starting out with zombie based movies, but I was pleasantly impressed with this movie. It sure turned me on to zombies and made a fan out of this horror movie addict. 

Overall, I'm going to give this movie 4/5.

Bidding you bloody nightmares,

Nyx

Grave Encounters

Director: The Viscous Brothers

Rated: Not Rated

New Video Group: October 18, 2011

93 Minutes

From Amazon: Ghost Hunters meets Paranormal Activity in this horror film about a team of paranormal investigators spending the night locked inside an abandoned asylum.

When I first heard about Grave Encounters and saw the previews I expected it to be a complete pile of dog crap. I thought it was going to be corny as hell and a complete waste of time. When I watch a movie I can usually tell within the first 5 minutes if I'm going to like it or not and what type of movie it will be. I didn't get that with Grave Encounters. I think that maybe because my expectations were so low for it that it seemed WAY better than I imagined. At first it comes off as a little corny and, I won't lie, I was a little annoyed that they so blatantly ripped off Ghost Adventures but took Aaron out (BOO!). I mean, there are a TON of similarities. It's in total GA style so, chances are if you like GA then you just might like Grave Encounters.

The movie starts off with this guy who is talking about this show Grave Encounters and that these films haven't been edited in any way except to cut out some time so they could fit 76 hours of footage into a movie. Then the movie starts with this guy (who looks like Zak Bagans) who does an intro for the show and how they are going to do a lock down inside this haunted mental institute for 8 hours. Then they do some interviews and a walk through complete with duct tapes (GA style). They set up cameras around the facility and set up an area for their "tech guy" to work from monitoring things. Then they get locked in and begin their investigation and things just get better from there on out...pretty much.

I won't lie, there are some corny parts in there but the film quickly picks up and by the end, you'll love it. The corny bits in the beginning won't even matter. The only reason I am bringing that up so much is because most people will see the corny stuff at the beginning and think "This movie sucks already!" and shut it off, well don't! It actually gets good by the end with a few good scares and some decent effects in there. Definitely check out Grave Encounters, I'm sure you'll like it and if not, at least you probably jumped a couple times.

My Rating: 4/5
Ginger